The present invention is directed to a fiber optic component cleaning device. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a fiber optic component cleaning device having a soft, large work surface on its face, integrally stored, disposable face covers, and a method for cleaning fiber optic components.
Fiber optic transmission rates have increased from one gigabyte per second to a contemporary standard of ten gigabytes per second. Several networks predict transmission rates will reach forty gigabytes per second in the near future. Researchers are working to achieve transmission rates on the order of petabytes and terabytes per second.
In order to achieve, maintain, and even surpass these transmission rates, the transmission media (e.g., fiber optic conductors), must be fabricated and maintained to exacting standards and tolerances. During fabrication and manufacturing, fiber optic component end faces frequently become contaminated with dirt, dust, oil, grease, and other debris. End faces also may be dirtied in the course of regular field use. Cleaning the end faces and keeping them free of scratches, burrs, and the like preserves the accuracy of these very high-speed transmission rates.
Numerous forms of devices have been used to clean fiber optic end faces, with differing degrees of success. Paper products and other flaking materials are not preferred because they are subject to linting. Avoiding linting is critical, as fibrous material obstructing an end face can cause loss of laser light transmission. Additionally, paper products cannot be used with a wet-cleaning technique. Wetting paper cleaning products causes them to shred, exacerbating the linting problem.
Other existing cleaning devices enclose woven material cartridge reels, exposing a very small portion of the reel as a cleaning surface. The miniscule size of these surfaces limits the cleaning process of which the devices are capable to short, small strokes. This method may result in damage to an end face, such as scratching. Moreover, the cartridge reel design does not allow for immediate disposal of the soiled cleaning surface. Instead, the dirty material is re-rolled back into the cartridge.
Further, currently available cleaning devices cannot be used in conjunction with both dry and wet cleaning techniques, which are essential to effective end face cleaning. Wet cleaning requires a cleaning surface that allows a component to be drawn through a wet portion to a dry portion. The existing devices' tiny cleaning surfaces provide insufficient area for both wet and dry sections. Current devices also render wet cleaning impractical because winding wet cleaning material back into a cartridge would cause its entire interior mechanism to become moist, potentially sullying the fresh material.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a fiber optic cleaning device with a soft, large cleaning surface. Desirably, such a device leaves no residue on an end face. Such a cleaning device also allows technicians to use a large cleaning stroke, reducing the likelihood of damaging an end face. Most desirably, the larger cleaning surface and disposable cleaning material of such a device allows performance of both wet and dry cleaning techniques. One commercial provider estimates that as many as 18,000 technicians may use this device.